LABOUR MARKET.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 609, 11 September 1909, Page 12

LABOUR MARKET.

REPORT FOR AUGUST, A GENERAL IMPROVEMENT. A general improvement was percoptiblo during August in the''labour conditions of the Dominion, according to the reports published in tho Labour Department's' Journal, issued yesterday. The following aro extracts from tho reports:— WELLINGTON. Trade generally has not been good, although a slight. improvement in raanv deportments lias been experienced. Building operations have improved, and, in consequence, tho number of men out of work lias decreased, but not to any appreciablo degree. ■Dressmaking has been fairly busy, so also has .millinery, and good bands aro scarco.. Bootmaking shows, a falling-off, although factory-occupiers havo managed to keep tboir hands .employed. ..>■■■. . ;• ■ Building trades: Bricklaying—A slight improvement has been shown, although the trade is far from good. ' Several men aro still out of work. . Carpentry and joinery has slightly improved, but a largo number of men are still unemployed. Painting—An improvement wa3 experienced up to the middlo of tho month, but a falling-off has been shown towards the olid; many hands are idle and others arc working half-time; Plastering only fair, although thoro are not many men ,out of .work. Plumbing and gaisfitting fairly good. Stonemasonry hands arc kept going. Woodworking grades: • .Boxmaking. and cooporing—Factories are working full 5 time. CaDinetmaking. and upholstcFing very slack, with little or nothing doing; tliero is- littlo indication of an - immediate improvement. Sash and door factories, very slack,' withdittle or nothing doing. } Sawmilling slack; few orders coming in, and many hands have been put off. Wood-turning, etc., rather slack. Engineering trades : Boilermaking—A fall-mg-off since last month lifts been shown, and : this, trado can be said.,to be only. fair. Brass and-copper-smithing fairly good ; an improvement lias been experienced. Electrical engineering—A slackness is now being experienced, which is, oxpected to continue for some time. Fitting arid turning—A slight improvement is now'obtaining, is considered to be only temporary. Iron and brass moulding still fairly 'good. Range-making still on tho slack side, with no indication of an improvement. Leather trades: has: beons experienced,. ■ ■ but factories liavo 'managed to l;eep all hands going. - Bootmaking ,repair-shops fairly; busy,; Saddlery and harness-making rathor slack towards; the end of. tho month, some factories' working their hands qnly half-time. . Clothing trades": , Dressmaking and millinery good; plenty of orders, coming in, and all hands arc full;..employed: jshirtmaking —Somo factories are' fairly; busy, but others aro slack; generally spealcing, the trade is not good. Tailoring, (factories) slightly improving,' and fair trade rs being "done. Tailoring (order)—Tr'ado is, ; looking up- and compares more than favourably with that of the corresponding month ' of' last year,;. Woollen-milling fairly busy; hands fully em-. ' ployed. ' '■ /"■' ; . : Retail trado?: Clothing, and grocerios remain about tho. same, and it is ■ reported that, fairly goqd business is .being done.;'' -V. i;,

Printing trades: Bpokbihding—Some factories are rather busy, but others report a slackness; trado is only fair. Printing rather slack, ana several hands aro still idle. ;

'•'.Meat-freezing, etc.':--' Tanning, currying, fellmongering, slaughtering, ' froezing, 'and preserving—'Wado very good' considerimr the season 'of tlio year, ; and compares' more' than favourably with the corresponding month "of last-year. •; ; . Coaohbuilding trades: Blacksmithing fairly good. /.Coach, carriage; and tram-car building fairly good; for the season of the year, and, said to b4 improving. -y,' ' • Cycle; and m6tor ftrades very • slack; little, or nothing doing, but an improvement is now ejfpfecttdi ''^o

j. '■ , Unslnjiedi''lab , oui , :'!'Tl)ero l "lias 'beeri;ja dc-> cr6^Sb , '-iii"lih'6' , 'fau , mber" , 6^ , lineh' , iippVy]lig''-'for work during.tho period, "and tlio position of tho unskilled labourer seems to bo bettering.' Since last;: report a large,number, of,single men ha'vo left the city, for- . worlK'offering at flax-milling v and dairy-farming.' Locally the weather has been anything but favourable for f outside work during Jthp past few. weeks, and in somo cases not more than Half-time has boon made, A .fair .demand , has set in for farm hands, and- some satisfactory "civ. gagoitients were effected. During tlio period 234 marripd and single men, with" 895 dependents," were assisted 'to employment on pyblic and: private works; comprising' brickia.veraj carpenters, .'plasterers, painters, iron-, I workers, and labourers. ... i' V; ' AUCKLAND. Trade in all its branches is still very quiet, yet there is a improvement, in., the goneral condition. •' Building prospects are very good. , . ■ . NAPIER, " ■ Trade generally has improved, and build, ing contracts aro .coming l out shortly which should provide employment for all local niOn 'in-the trade. Every elfort has been; made to got into touch with tho farmers with a viow to supplying any labour'required; skilled or unskilled, but so- : far few replies' havo been received,' • It 1 is unwise 'for - labourers looking for work to go-to Napier or Hastings- . NEW PLYMOUTH. The number of applications for work has beeii about the" sanvo: as' at the last period, but requests from employers' forOntcn have been greater tlian at any period for some •time. past. There are very few., skilled artisans unemployed, and tho: number. of> general labourers and; casuals - hasVbeen considerably' reduced.:. The carpentering, and bricklaying trades; show, a -great : improve-, mont, and it is doubtful whether tliero aTO any carpenters out, of work, in 'the district, Tho dairying ; industry i? already showing a revival; before tho end of next month all factories will be in; full swing, and a large numbor of assistants and milkers will bo required. '. '' . . ; \VANGANUI.

.Trade is said to'havo slightly improved. Hie building, trade'is quiet, and a number of journeymen carpenters are idle.- However, this trade is. expected' to. show.'signs of improvement during tho coming month. Bricklaying is also quiet, and there aro one or two journeymen idle. Leather trades' are fairly busy, and no „'journeymen aro! registered as out of employment. Clothing trado is .very, quiet, especially in regard to tailoring, and very few journeymen are making full time. Retailers generally report a good averago month, and in some cases really good business is reported. Printing trades aro fairly busy. '• I PALMERSTON NORTH. | Tho- general opinion is that there is a slight improvement, and that there is a littlo

more money being spent. Thero havo boon very few applicants for work, and very few openings for any unemployed. There is absolutely no' chance for unskilled labour. CARTERTON. Business is* much brighter in almost all trades, arid pcoplo generally are looking forward to busy times in tho near future. Work at tho cheese-factories .will give employment to a number of men. . . MASTERTON. - Trade i and business generally have remained very quiet, but an.improvement is taking place, and a greatly increased volume of trade, wholesale and retail, is anticipated during the 'coming season, Several dairy companies' are now commencing operations,' and, 1 judging by the extension'and improvement of factories, a record output is expect-ed this year.i. This ' will .necessarily'create'a demand for. extra workers. Building trades nave brightened up slightly, and the busy season on tli9 stations is approaching. ' ■ NELSON. ' The state of tho laliour market lias improved, and with fine weather thero will be ■a fair .demand for labour-in tho country.districts. Tho manufacturing trades may bo said to bo fair, and retail business continue steady. A number of drapers' and bootmakers havo concluded their winter safe, and report a fair cash business. CIIRISTCHURCH. L ,.,

Trado has shoivn ah upward tendency. TJie boot and shoo manufacturing has improved, and there are now very few tradesmen' out of work. - . The clothing . trade'generally is giving more regular employment,. and- thero is a better , doifiand . . for hands : than" there litis been for some considerable time past; Tho. building trade,. though still, quiet, is' brighter than it has. beet) for months' past, and tho number .of unemployed tradesmen ;is gradually decreasing, General engineering is. still very, ouiot, : arid thero is nothing to indicate tno likelihood of an improvement. Agricultural implement making,'however, lis ;■ showing' signs <of vitalityj and further improvement is anticipated .' .The number of unemployed labourers''and othora calling ,at tho office is gradually, getting less, which indicates a steady all-round'improve-ment. ' . ■■ ; DUNEDIN . Tradoha-s shown a for'tho better nearly all round; This has been par; tieularly noticeable, in respect to the.building trades,'in, which tho depression had been, for a timo, most. acute. This fortunate improvement -of-the general' manufacturing conditions' will' naturally lead to K corresponding advanco-. in stoop trades, which, re-: tailors report':is not yet. apparent. ; Therd is a in, floating cash,, and - shopkeepors that they are experiencing' great, difficulty' in oolleoting account,' also that they have had to.extend credit to many customers • who have .hitherto always' paiq cash. Willi drapers',' the-period under re-: wow ia.between seaEonsj iiiid firms have been stocktaking before opening, up the hew/season's. gopds.' It is reported, however,- that trade is equal to that of tho corresponding period of last: year.'' v Tlio trado'js quiet.: In the. meat trado there' lias bc-en a considerable fall in' the prioo of'-' mutton.' This is . attributable : to' tho reported.. :overstocking *n tho Horn©, market reducing the price'.of stock,;, and also to/the faot'vthat intho. city a of.,firms:havo been selling mutton by-auction, Tins may mcaji a loss to the butohers, but it'is a direct boon to.the working-people. ;